Best Slimming Methods - Flat Belly Food Tricks

1. Eat Dessert

Yes, always. "A small amount can signal that the meal is over," says Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. She ends her meals with a piece of high-quality chocolate.

2. Drink Milk

Consuming 1,800 milligrams of calcium a day could block the absorption of about 80 calories, according to a University of Tennessee study. Jump-start your calcium intake by filling your coffee mug with fat-free or 1 percent milk, drinking it down to the level you want in your coffee, then pouring in your caffeine fix. That's 300 milligrams down, 1,500 to go.

3. Spice Things Up

Capsaicin, the substance that puts the hot in hot pepper, temporarily boosts your metabolism. Dairy blocks capsaicin's sweat-inducing signals better than water, though, so pair it with your favorite searing-hot dishes.

4. Go Organic

That's where you're likely to find bread and cereal with fiber counts that put the conventional choices to shame. Thought you were doing well with your '-grams-per-serving Cheerios? Nature's Path Optimum Slim blows it away with 9 grams.

5. Keep the Skin On

Speaking of fiber, a lot of it's in the peel, whether it's potatoes, apples, or pears. Even oranges: Don't eat the whole peel, but keep the pith, that white, stringy stuff--it's packed with heart-healthy compounds called flavonoids.

6. Buy Precut Vegetables

Sure, they cost more Sure, they cost more, but you're more likely to eat them. "Make low energy snacks as easy as possible," Rolls says. "Keep vegetables as near to hand as you can. Make it so you have no excuse."